The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 10, March 6, 2005, Article 8

HOWARD DANIEL REPORTS FROM HANOI

Howard A. Daniel III writes that he was in Hanoi from March
2nd to the 5th: "I spent most of my time with the best numismatic
dealer in the city, Mai Quang Thieu. Thieu is the only dealer in
Hanoi who will tell me that something is a copy/fake in his
inventory. All of the other dealers will first try to sell it to me as
authentic. I bought several excellent pieces from Thieu to expand
the information and illustration in the book I am now writing;
Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. I also found some older pieces
to fill in some research holes in my Vietnamese collection.

I also bought some fortune telling/amulet type pieces from the
Northern Highland Tribes of Viet Nam for Craig Greenbaum,
who is constantly updating his book; Amulets of Viet Nam.
And Craig is in Viet Nam too, but down in the Mekong Delta
most of the time with his wife and her family. But he will be in
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Sunday AM for the "stamp club"
meeting at the old French coffee museum and I will meet him
there. Stamp, coin, paper money, token, etc., collectors and
dealers show up around 9AM and stay around to about noon
every Sunday. It is a great place to sit down in the shade and
drink a soft drink while you talk at length with the collectors
and dealers. I highly recommend attending this "get-together"
when you are in Ho Chi Minh City.

Thieu took me on a walking tour of the downtown shops in
Hanoi. The fakes of silver US and world coins are EVERYWHERE
and some of them are in proof-like condition! The greedy
tourists and novice collectors are being taken for a bundle.
We did not find any fake US gold and did find one 1924-D $20
in EF+ condition. The owner wanted US$1500 for it but I only
collect Southeast Asia. There are many fake Chinese sycee
(bullion) pieces but one authentic Pack Saddle was found. The
owner wanted US$300 for it because I was there but Thieu said
he will come back in a week and buy it for US$60-75.

I also had an appointment with someone in the Western financial
community in Hanoi who will try to obtain the address of the
mint that is under construction, and its director. Krause Pubs.
has asked me to find two more persons for the COTY panel
and I want to nominate the Vietnamese and Thai mint directors.
The information is now a state secret so I am having difficulty
finding the man, but he I find him. I am now back in Ho Chi Minh
and planning a visit to Vientiane, Lao. If you want to contact me,
my email is HADaniel3 at msn.com."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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